White Rose backs stem cell research company

Investee Company – Axordia Ltd (UK)

Investee Company Business Type – Stem cell research

Type of Financing – Seed

Equity Providers – Aberdeen Murray Johnstone Private Equity – White Rose Technology Seedcorn Fund (WRTSF)

Equity Leader (Individual) – Gerry White

Debt Providers – N/A

Debt Type – N/A

Debt Leader (Individual) – N/A

Equity Amount – £250,000

Total Deal Value – £250,000

Other Advisors – Keeble Hawson, Sheffield (legal)

Comments – Axordia Ltd, has been created with seed financing from Aberdeen Murray Johnstone Private Equity. The company has been founded by two world-renowned scientists from the University of Sheffield; Peter Andrews who is a Professor of Biomedical Science and Harry Moore, Professor of Reproductive Biology.

The seed investment of £250,000 will come from the White Rose Technology Seedcorn Fund (WRTSF), a £6 million venture capital fund owned by the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York and managed by Aberdeen Murray Johnstone.

The company will be at the forefront of human stem cell research, which aims to provide new approaches to the production of cells and tissues that could be used in ’tissue replacement therapies’. These therapies will hope to cure or alleviate a wide range of medical conditions that involve the degeneration or loss of function of specific body organs.

Investment director at Aberdeen Murray Johnstone, Gerry White commented: “Peter and Harry are both world status scientists. They are well placed at the leading edge of human stem cell research and have the expertise to address the critical issues in this research area. We are confident that Axordia presents a long-term, but potentially very large market opportunity and that it will become a significant player in the commercialisation of stem cell-based therapies.”